Add to ORKGThe National Road passing through St. Clairsville, Ohio, from "Historical Collections of Ohio" by Henry Howe, 1907. Congress authorized construction of the National Road in 1806, and in 1811, awarded contracts to private builders to construct the road. The War of 1812 prevented work from beginning until 1815. Construction began in Cumberland, Maryland, and the contractors completed the road to Wheeling, Virginia (modern-day West Virginia), in 1817. Eventually, the federal government extended the road to near St. Louis, Missouri. From 1825 to 1838, the National Road was extended across Ohio. The federal government authorized individual states, including Ohio, to maintain the National Road. To cover the associated maintenance costs, Ohio tur...